Diving apparatus



July 28, 1 925.

J. SMOKER v DIVING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25. 1922 Patented July 28, 1925.

JOHN SMOKER, OF NEW PARIS, INDIANA.

DIVING APPARATUS.

Application filed January 23, 1922. Serial No. 531,308.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SMOKER, of the town of New Paris, county ofElkhart, Indiana, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements inDiving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement and recreation apparatus, andespecially to diving devices.

The particular object of the invention is to provide an amusement andrecreation apparatus for aquatic sports in the form of a rotary deviceto enable a bather to use it instead of a spring-board for diving. Otherobjects of the invention are mentioned and described herein.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of thedevice; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus reduced in size.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews on the drawing.

Referring to the details of the drawing, the apparatus comprisesgenerally a frame 1 and a carriage 2 rotatably mounted thereon. Morespecifically, the approach stairway 3 may be connected with the frame 1to enable the bather to mount the carriage 2 at the proper elevation. Inthe type of apparatus disclosed in the drawing the approach elementconsists of a stairway 3 but other suitable means may be used withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

The frame 1 may comprise the two upright columns 4, 4 in opposedrelation, a transverse shaft or axle 5 connecting the top ends of saidcolumns, the two substantially horizontal spaced bars 6, 6 having theirinner ends rigidly connected with the top ends of said columns at 7adjacent the ends of the axle 5. A pair of angularly dispose-d framebars 8, 8 have their opposite ends rigidly connected with the bars 6 andthe columns 4 at 9 and 10, respectively. The column bottoms may beconnected by a transverse member 11 suitably secured to said columns. Aplatform 12 is arranged transversely of the frame 1 and may be securedat its opposite ends to the frame elements 6, 6 adjacent the top of thestairway 3.

The diving carriage, or wheel, proper may consist of a cross-likeelement mounted for rotation upon the shaft or axle 5 and between thecolumns 4, 4, which wheel may be composed of the two pairs of bars 18,13 and 14, 14, the bars of each pair being opposed to each other andspaced apart, and each pair of bars intersecting centrally at the axle 5and rigidly secured to each other at 14. The outer ends of the bars 13,13 and 14, 14 are rigidly tied together in spaced relation by a rod 15,which rod serves as a step for the bather, as hereinafter described, theplatform 12 being positioned to effect clearance between the ends of thebars 13 and 14 to enable free rotation of the can riage 2. v

A hand railing 16 may be mounted upon the stairway and platform, andhandles 17, 17 may be secured to the bars 13 and 14 of the carriage 2.In use, my improved amusement apparatus for aquatic sports is placed inor adjacent a body of water dee enough to permit diving. The bathermounts the stairway to gain a footing upon the platform 12 whence he maygrasp the carriage handles 17 and steps upon the rod 15, transferringhis entire weight to the carriage which at once rotates carrying thebather downward with increasing momentum. When the bather has passedbeyond the columns 4 he may dive or leap from the step 15, the momentumgained in the descent pitching him a considerable distance from thecarriage 2, the distance thereby effected being materially greater thanthat gained by diving from a spring-board or other stationary platform.

I claim:

1. A bathers amusement device comprising in combination, a supportingframe, a wheel-like carriage rotatably mounted upon said frame to rotatein a vertical plane, and a platform adjacent said carriage and associtedtherewith to enable the bather to mount said carriage in a planeintermediate the top and bottom of the latter adjacent the outerperiphery thereof.

2. A bathers amusement device comprising in combination, a supportingframe, a wheel-like carriage rotatably mounted upon said frame to rotatein a vertical plane, a platform adjacent said carriage and associatedtherewith to enable the bather to mount said carriage in a planeintermediate the top and bottom thereof; and means on said carriage toenable the bather to stand upon and hold thereto while the carriagerotates and carries the bather downward toward an adjacent body ofWater.

3. A bathers amusement device comprising a supporting frame; a carriagerotatably mounted in said frame; platform means adjacent said carriageto enable a bather tomount said carriage in a plane intermediate the topand bottom of the latter; andstep and handle means on said carriage toenable the bather to stand upon and cling thereto While the carriageturns and carries the leather downward toward an adjacent body of waterto permit the bather to leap from said carriage into the water.

a. A bathers amusement device comprising a supporting frame; a divingcarriage rotatably mounted upon said supporting frame; platform meansadjacent said carriage to enable the bather to mount said carriage in aplane intermediate the top and bottom of the latter; a series of stepson said carriage to enable the bather to stand thereon; and a series ofhandles on said carriage to be grasped by the bather while the carriagerotates and carries the bather downward toward an adjacent body ofwater.

In witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature this 17th day ofJanuary, 1922.

JOHN SMOKER.

